Are Australians materialistic!

[sueoc]

When we first got here we thought that there is no class system ,as it didn't seem to be"What you have" but "who you are" !Anyway,i've changed my mind about this.It's even more prevalent here than in the UK IMO,but not so overt. Successful Aussies love to flaunt their wealth just the same as anyone else in the world.Now't wrong with that,it's just that they don't go around shouting"We are considerably,considerably richer than you"as Harry Enfield would say!

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

No the aussie friends we have dnt seem to be that way, they all seem to be pretty happy with their lot and make do.

Sure i have nevere known people have boats, 4x4s and a big bbqs as the aussies but i wouldnt class that as trying to be better then anyone, thats just their lifestyle in my opinion.

 

the folk with the biger houses seem to the immigrants, the Aussie folk seem to ne happy ewith what they have...thats what i see and feel from the folks we know.

 

 

HG

[Sallyh]

I just think that by human nature, PEOPLE are materialistic. So Australians are no different to anyone else. They don't have words to describe it in the same way as the British, ie with the class system, but there are other ways if we want to look for them.

[Guest Guest5035]

Or is it the Poms that live here now that are materialistic

 

stevo

[Guest Guest75]

Some Aussies certainly can be - but not in a "show off " way.

 

Yep,they buy the big boat, but it's a tool and gets used as it should.Erm well apart from those in Glenelg Marina:o

 

Same with 4x4's, tool to get out and enjoy the lifestyle.

 

The materialism "fashion" has swept the world,Aussies make it their own though

[Guest cornish Busdriver]

Na i would'nt say aussies are materialistic.

If they have a 4x4 its because its gonna get used for what its ment for not just running the kids to school and bumping off curbs.

If they have a big boat then it gets used and not kept as a show peice.

All the aussie i know dont brag abaout what they have or knock others cause they cant afford it.

i think its more of a pom thing; mines bigger than yours, my TV is a better brand than yours and all the rest of the crap.

[Guest Trakki]

I echo what others say and also find that there is less pressure on children to have named brand clothing etc. I don't get anymore from my kids ' so and so has these trainers, I must have them' and find that uniform free days are far less stressful.

[jim and adel]

Are Australians materialistic? Well, 'Australians' is a big group meaning that inevitably some are and some aren't.

 

I think it's not as apparent as in the UK, but it does exist. There's a competitive streak to many Aussies that sometimes does find an outlet in the vehicles they drive, the houses (and more importantly suburbs) they live in, and how they spend their money. Plenty of 4x4s where I work that have never been beyond metro Adelaide. I don't think there's the same degree of fashion-oriented materialism, though, especially in kids.

 

Although clearly linked, I'd consider class as separate from materialism. Class isn't as obvious here where I think there's more of a meritocracy at play (although I think meritocracy has increased in the UK in recent years) but there's still a sort of snobbery that sometimes comes to the fore. Recently at work, a woman colleague mentioned how over the weekend she woke up feeling unwell and went to the pharmacists with a coat on but still in her pyjamas underneath, because she intended to get medicine then spend the day in bed. On her way home she was involved in a car accident, an ambulance was called and she had to go to A&E. She said that being there in her PJs made her feel like she was from Port Noarlunga. Everyone in the office found this highly amusing. No doubt she could have picked half a dozen other suburbs – north or south – and got the same response. That's as much class snobbery as anything I'd have come across in Britain.

 

Jim

[Guest Squareman]

For me, the only 'abnormal' thing is the school issue. I sit in meetings with people who are well into their 50's and they are still talking about which high school they went to and referring to people of the same age as a 'Scotch boy' or whatever. What university they went to, or how successful they have been in business, seems to be less important!

[sueoc]

Na i would'nt say aussies are materialistic.

If they have a 4x4 its because its gonna get used for what its ment for not just running the kids to school and bumping off curbs.

If they have a big boat then it gets used and not kept as a show peice.

All the aussie i know dont brag abaout what they have or knock others cause they cant afford it.

i think its more of a pom thing; mines bigger than yours, my TV is a better brand than yours and all the rest of the crap.

Yes,i don't miss that keeping up with joneses mentality one bit.We had one neighbour by us who had a lovely living room,Chandeliers,top class swags n tail curtains,massive telly on the wall,very expensive suite etc.They left all the lights on in the room every night,curtains open,no blinds and no one was ever in it!!!!:goofy:Some people are sad.

[Diane]

For me, the only 'abnormal' thing is the school issue. I sit in meetings with people who are well into their 50's and they are still talking about which high school they went to and referring to people of the same age as a 'Scotch boy' or whatever. What university they went to, or how successful they have been in business, seems to be less important!

 

Yes, I've noticed that as well (which is part of the reason we're beggaring ourselves to send the kids to a private school here - sad, but part of the "fit in" thing that expats have to do I think)

 

Was even told that just about all top politicians from SA had been to St Peters school! The only famous person (in politics) I know that went to my kids' school though makes me want to punch his face every time I see him (but then I'm from Essex...!!)

[AussieRob]

I find it similar as the uk but just with different things.

 

Your car must have 6 or 8 cyclinders, anything else is a hair dressers car (no offence meant). Anything less than a 60 inch TV is useless. Your house must be on 500 squares (never figured out yet what a square is yet). Your thongs (flip flops) must be havianna's. Your shed must be the size of a soccer pitch and contain a bar, pool table, etc...

 

And they are the same as everyone for banter as to where you live, people in Reynella abuse morphett Vale, Morphett vale abuses Hackem, Hackem abuses Hackem West, so on and so on.

 

Another guy in the office is snobby about which wine to drink.

 

I don't mind it all though, shows we're all the same.

[Rachiegarlo]

Years ago certain private schools would not admit children if they didn't live within defined areas. As it was considered rude to ask where people lived, what their father was etc then finding out which school a person went to could put them into an Adelaide niche and it is an Adelaide thing not so prevelent interstate. So society people sent their offspring to St Peters, PAC, St Peter's girls, Wilderness , Walford, Girton(now Pembroke) Seymour and Annesley. Leading catholics chose Loreto or Rostrevor. Those who were a bit lower down the social scale utilised Pulteney, CBC, Mercedes, the smaller girls catholic schools etc. It has changed and the real society Girl's school Woodlands has closed. This school had a headmistress who ruled what the girls did outside of school aswell as in. Permission had to be sought for parties, music lessons etc. This school at Glenelg took boarders and they slept on the balconies and part of their uniform was....jodhpurs...not to ride, but they were appropriate and ladylike for walks on the beach! Most public High schools stopped at 15 with only a handful like Adelaide, Unley etc going on until yr 12 or matriculation. So for people brought up in this time this was a useful tool for placing people "nicely". My friend's hubby didn't go to school until he was 7 because his family's private of choice didn't begin until then, it would have meant attending a public primary until then.... Times have changed somewhat...as in if you can afford the fees you can get a place, but the private school crowd still recognise each other when they are out and about . Hmmm there are firms who are loyal to some schools and if you are from the rivals then your application will be binned. Not fair but it does still happen.

[Guest Opportunities]

Enjoyed reading all the posts. In South Africa we also tend to label people re which car you drive, where you live,how big your house is,which school does your child go, however...

While we are planning to move over in December and now having to either sell or pass on our belongings, I have realised just how many unneccesary things we have! We have decided never ever to make the same mistake and therefore we look forward to start fresh in Oz. We will purchase what we need... NOT WHAT WE THINK WE MIGHT NEED!

Material things are so not important!

 

Karen

[Anne B]

Of course they are materialistic ! They are human not some super-race. Australia has the 2nd highest level of household debt in the world (behind the Netherlands) so they must be spending it all on something (although in recent months people have been saving more). The older generations seem far less materialistic than their children.

 

The things that count are the house (even better if it's 2 storey), the BBQ, the 4WD (or anything blokey), European appliances in the kitchen, the holiday home down the coast or on the river, the boat, the jetski etc etc. Plenty of 4WDs in the school run around here. Australians also love to talk about how good their super (pension) is. Children seem to have just as many toys/electronics as in the UK and there is snobbery on which suburb you live in and what (private) school you went to.

 

However there isn't as wide a gap between rich and poor here as in the UK, and people do seem more accepting of people regardless of their background.